If you ask any Belizean both young or old what make Christmas a Belizean Christmas, they'll more than likely tell you it's Black Fruit Cake and Rum Popo. In truth, this combination has over the years become two of the most important elements of the Belizean Holidays. Step into almost any household and you'll find mini workstations (typically run by the matriarch of the house), with eggs being beaten, batter being mixed, and milky mixtures being stirred by younger family members.
If you're lucky enough to be visiting Belize this Christmas, you should definitely try to get your hands on a slice of Belizean black fruit cake with a glass of rum popo. For those of you who can't make it, we've prepared the following cooking guide on how to prepare these tasty Christmas favorites. Do enjoy!
Ingredients
1 lb. butter
2 lbs. brown sugar
1 pt. stout
� pt. caramel coloring
1 qt. rum
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. prunes
1 lb. currants
1 lb. citron
1 lb. dates
1 lb. cherries
1 lb. mixed peel
1 lb. pecans
8 eggs
2 lbs. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. brown sugar for stewing fruit
Preparation
Cream butter with sugar; add eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder and spices alternately with stout and coloring. Finally, add fruit that has been stewed well with rum and sugar. Line cake pans with brown paper. Fill about � full. Bake in very slow oven (275 degrees) for about 3 hours.
As flavoring improves with storage, it is recommended to sprinkle a little rum before and after storing.
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